UPDATE 2-Brazil's Lula calls for end to austerity, return to growth

SAO PAULO, March 28 (Reuters) - Former Brazilian President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged a return to pro-growth economic
policies like tax breaks and more consumer credit on Monday,
doubling down on a strategy that has strained public accounts in
recent years.

Lula said during a news conference that he wanted to serve
as an advisor to his successor, President Dilma Rousseff,
regardless of salary or legal protection in court.

"I am convinced that I can contribute, and it will be
possible to change the mood in this country in a few months," he
told foreign journalists.

Rousseff is facing impeachment proceedings in Congress and
the main partner in her ruling coalition appears set to leave
the government.

In an effort to rally allies against impeachment, Rousseff
appointed Lula as her cabinet chief this month. That sparked
protests and cries of foul play from political opponents, who
saw it as an effort to shield him from a graft probe into
state-run oil company Petrobras.

Prosecutors say there is evidence that Lula received luxury
real estate from contractors implicated in a vast Petrobras
bribery scheme. Lula denies any wrongdoing and said on Monday he
was not responsible for knowing about corruption at Petrobras
when he was president.

A policy institute run by Lula said in a statement that he
was "the target of a quasi-judicial witch hunt" and not even
formally under investigation.
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